Joy — Philippians 3 – Friday
TODAY’S VERSE
Philippians 4:1
“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.” (ESV)
Let’s try a thought exercise: Take a moment and think of someone’s faith that has encouraged you. What was it about their faith that resonated to the depths of your heart and soul? How is it impacting you today?
The first person who comes to mind for me is my grandmother. Some of you have heard me share stories about her before. Not only did she raise 10 kids while also faithfully serving in her local church and in her community, she also helped raise some of her grandkids — including me.
For context, I spent almost a decade of my life in my grandmother’s house. She was also my Sunday School teacher and Vacation Bible School teacher. When you spend that amount of time with someone, you have a totally different perspective on how they actually live out their faith. There are a number of lessons she taught me, but arguably the most impactful lesson was one that I caught: How to stand firm in your faith.
The way this presented itself most often was how she not only worshiped God when things were going well; she faithfully and joyfully worshiped Him even when things weren’t. Life would do its best to knock her off balance, but she had this God-given ability to see beyond her circumstances in the moment, dig her heels in, and double down on her faith. She was the epitome of resilience: Committed to following Jesus — no matter what.
Family tensions? Still worshiped Jesus. Financial stress? Still worshiped Jesus. Health declining? Still worshiped Jesus — even on her death bed. To this day, I still don’t have a category for what I witnessed. But the closest way I can articulate what her life and legacy meant to me was something I came across that another pastor recently shared: “Worship isn’t proven when you get what you asked for; it’s revealed when you don’t.”
As we’ve been walking through our study in Philippians, it’s reminded me why joy is so vital to the Christian walk. That’s why I’ve been praying verses like 1 Corinthians 15:58 for our staff and for our church. It’s joy that keeps us steadfast; it’s joy that keeps us immovable, because the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). And here’s the reason our labor is not in vain: Our joy is in the Lord.
On the days you feel exasperated, stand firm in Jesus. On the days you feel exhausted, stand firm in Jesus. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. He’s worth it.
APPLICATION
There’s something transcendent about standing firm alongside other people as we worship God together. Make it a priority to attend Summer Worship Night next month on July 8.
PRAYER
“God, Your Word says that in this world we will have trouble. Suffering, tests, and trials are an inevitable part of the Christian life. When I’m staggering and stumbling, help me regain my footing so that I can stand firm on Your Word, by Your grace, and with Your people. Amen.”